Rotary valve for internal-combustion engines



Patented Aug. 28, 1 928.

UNITED STATES EMIL T. NEUBAUER, OF PORT EURON, MICHIGAN.

ROTARY VALVE FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed March 19, 1927. Serial m5. 176,722.

This invention relates to a rotary valve for internal combustion engines and has for an important object thereof the provision of a mounting for the valve, wherebytlie valve may be readily inserted and removed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a construction of this character whereby the valve may be held firmly seated at all times by a spring, the seat of which is 70 the only article which must be removed in order to permit the valve to be removed. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved means for 1 mounting the driving gear of the valve.

A still furthervobject of the invention is to provide in a construction of this character means for protecting the stem of the valvefrom the heat to which the valve is subjected, so that the stem or valve will not become warped.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure l is a vertical sectional view of the rotary valve;

Figure 2 is a thereon;

horizontal sectional view the valve proper;

Figure 4 is a sectional ture shown in Figure 3.

' Referring now more particularly to the .drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a removable cylinder head of an internal combustion engine. This head has formed therein intake and exhaust ports 11 3 and 12 and has likewise formed therein an axial opening 13, hushed, as at The upper surface of the head has a comcal bore 15 to which the opening 13 is axial. Rotatably directed through the bushing 14 is the valve stem 16 of a valve.17, the upper surface of which fits the conical bore of-the head. The under surface of this valve has applied thereto a plate 18 whichis held in position by rivets 19 having a diameter equal.

to the width of radially elongated slots 20 formed through the valve 17v and :through which they'extend. The valve 17 and plate 18 have formed therethrough an opening 21 for coaction with the intake and exhaust ports 11 and 12. The plate 18 serves as a "p 5 side wall for an air pocket or rece h inafter referred-t0,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary bottom view ofview of the struc- .24: of which is of greater diameter than the valve stem and the upper surface 25 of which forms a race for balls 26.

Slidable upon the squared portion of the stem 22 is a combined work gear and thrust bearing unit, of which 27 designates the gear and 28 the bearing unit. of the gear is siformed with the second race 29 for the balls 25. The aperture of the gear through which the valve stem extends slidably fits the valve stem at its lower end, as indicated at 30, and at its upper end is shghtly enlarged, as indicated at 31, so that it combines with the valve stem to produce thereabout an oil reservoir in which oil may collect to insure properlubrication of the stem. The thrust bearing element ofthe unit is frusto-conical in form and has its outer face engaged by rollers 32, the vouter faces of which are, in turn, engaged by an adjustable section 33 threaded into a fixed support 34 carried by the head and held in adjusted positions with relation thereto by a lock, generally designated at 35.

The upper end of the valve stem has means for securing thereto a sprin seat 36 and betweenthis spring seat an the upper end of the gear, a spring 37 is disposed, which constantly urges the valve stem upwardly. The valve stem 16 is lubricated and cooled v by oil which is fed thereto from a reservoir 38 formed by the head 10, the stem 16 and tubular boss 23-. Oil may be fed tothis reservoir in any suitable. manner. From this reservoir, ports 39 and 40 formed in the bushing 14 and the wall of the head 10 conduct lubricant to the valve stem and the upper face of the valve respectively.

To further assist in cooling the valve stem and preventing warping-thereof, the under surface of the valve is recessed, as at 41, so that when the plate 18 is attached thereto, a dead air space is formed, insulating. that portion of the valve to which the stem is attached. The gear 27 can be driven f in any suitable manner. In the present instance, a shaft 42 is disclosed, which may be connected with the crank shaft of the engine to be driven therefrom atthe proper I The lower face 0 2 1,es2,ose

speed and which has a worm 43 coacting with the gear. It Willbe obvious that the valve will at all times' be held seated by the spring '37 and as it rotates, will. tend to more firmly seat itself. Any Wear upon the bearings will be taken up by the adjustable. bearing section 33 Which, since it forces the combination unit downwardly, will remove wear from either the upper or lower thrust bearing, as desired. The air space ll serves as means for preventing the heat from the interior of the cylinder penetrating the intermediate portion of the valve and prei ents the valve stem from absorbing the. ieat.

Since the construction hereinbefore set forth is capable of a certain range of change and modification without materially departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not limit myself to such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines having a stem extending from one Wall thereof, said Wall being adapted to confront and bear against a wall of the engine cylinder, the opposite face of the valve having a plate applied thereto and means connecting the plate and valve permitting relative movement thereof due to differences in expansion. i

2. A rotary valve for internal combustion engines having a stem extending from one Wall thereof, said Wall being adapted to confront and bear against a Wall of the engine cylinder, the opposite face of the valve having a plate applied thereto and means connecting the plate and valve permitting relative movement thereof due to differences in expansion, the last named'face of the valve in alignment with the valve stem being formed with a recess whereby said plate combines therewith to produce a dead air space insulating the valve stem from the remainder of the valve.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afi'ix my signature.

EMIL T. NEUBAUER. 

